Level.



Patented Apr. l5, I902. T. F. HICKEY.

LE VEL.

(Application filed June 12. 1901.)

(N0 Model.)

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THOMAS FRANCIS HICKEY, OF JOHNSONVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES J. VAN VERT, OF JOI'INSONVILLE, NENV YORK.

LEVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,718, dated April 15, 1902.

Application filed June 12, 1901. Serial No 64,311. (No model.)

To a whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS FRANCIS l-IICKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnsonville, in the county of Ronsselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Levels, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates more particularly to mechanical levels or those embodying mechanical operative parts actuated by gravity, and has for its object to provide a simple, cheap, readily-constructed, and perfectly op erating leveling device by means whereof changes of level and the angles thereof will be indicated upon a suitable dial, means being provided to lock the actuating plumbbob at any point in its path of movement.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a plan view of the central portion of a straight-edge level embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view, partially in section, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, partially in section, of the mechanism for locking the plumbbob against movement; and Fig. 5 is a plan View of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrow in said Fig. 4.

In the practice of my invention I provide an ordinary straight-edge block or level A of the form usually employed and made of any desired material and in which is formed a suitable recess or chamber B provided with an upper enlarged portion B to receive the top and supporting-plate O of the inner mechanism of my improved level. The plate 0 is secured by suitable screws, as shown, and to this plate on either side I secure two yokeshaped frame-pieces D, connected at the bottom by a transverse crossbar D The framepieces D are provided each with a cross piece or bar D, and mounted centrally of each of these pieces or bars D are pivot-screws E, which support a pivoted shaft F, upon which is secured a plumb-bob G, secured to the frame-pieces D at one side,and slightly above the cross pieces or bars D is a stop pin or plate a, and on the opposite side is secured in like manner to one of the frame-pieces D a similar stop piece or plate a, and these stop pieces or plates are designed to limit the movement of the plumbbob G and prevent the same from swinging too far toward either end of the level. Secured to the frame formed by the pieces D, at the longitudinal center thereof and usually by being secured to the stop piece or plate a, are two sector-shaped guides I-I, between which the pointed bottom portion 0 of the plumb-bob projects. Upon the opposite side of the frame one of these sector guide and locking strips II is secured against movement, usually by being connected to one of the frames D or to the stop pin or plate A, by means of a lug h, Fig. 5, while the corresponding end of the other like sector guide-strip is provided, as shown in Figs. 4. and 5, with a slanting slot d, adapted to receive a slide-pin 6, carried by a screwnut f, moved up and down by the operation of a screw g, actuated by a thumb-nut 7c, located in a recess Z, formed to receive it in the top or outer face-plate Q, the shank of the screwg being provided with a suitable washer m, located below the face-plate Q and secured thereto by a set-screw m to prevent retraction of the screw upon its rotation. It will be seen that by this arrangement upon forcing the nut f downward in the slot d this will force 0 the segmental guide H, provided with such slot, over into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and the consequent clamping of the fiat-sided point portion 0 of the plumbbob G between such sector guide and lock- 5 ing strips 1-1 will firmly lock such plumb-bob against any movement until the same shall be released from the pressure of such pieces II upon turning the screw G by means of the thumb-nut 7c in the opposite direction.

Rigidly mounted upon the spindle or pivot shaft F, at one side of the plumb-bob G, is a beveled gear wheel or pinion Z, meshing with a similar horizontally-mounted beveled gearpinion J, rigidly mounted upon a spindle or pivot shaft K, journaled in the plate 0 and supported by a pivot journal-screw M, similar to the screws E, carried by a plate L, supported by the plate 0. Formed upon the upper surface of the plate 0, around the point where the pivot-shaft K passes through the same, as shown in Fig. 1, is an indicating dial N, and secured upon the end of the pivotshaft 70 is an indicating point or hand O,which indicates upon the dial the angle of inclination to the perpendicular of the surface against which the face of the straight edge may be placed. Over the plate 0 is mounted a glass plate P, set into the main frame A, and over this is placed an outer securing metallic faceplate Q, fitting in a suitable countersink in the block A and secured thereto by suitable screws, as shown, this plate Q being provided with a central orifice through which the dial Nniay be viewed, which when out of use is covered or protected by a metallic cover S, adapted to swing or slide over the same to protect the glass plate P from injury.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the advantages resultant from the use thereof will be manifest to all who are conversant with devices of this character.

All shiftings of the angle of the straight edge will cause a corresponding change in the upon the dial N. If now it be desired to determine if the angle of another surface is the same as the angle of the surface first tested or to determine the difference between them, it is only necessary to lock the plumb-bob in position by proper manipulation of the thumbscrew it, to then shift the device to the second surface, and by unscrewing the thumb-screw 70 so as to release the plumb-bob to determine the differences of the two angles, if any, and such securing devices may of course be likewise used to lock the plumb-bob, so that the mechanism will not be injured by the swinging thereof during carriage.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A level provided with a suitable chamber, a plumb-bob pivotally supported therein and adapted to swing longitudinally of the level, a dial-plate on the top of the level, a pointer operating in connection therewith, said pointer being in operative connection with said plumb-bob, two segmental strips between which the lower end of the plumb-bob swings,

and means for operating one of said strips so as to lock the plumb-bob in a stationary position, consisting of a revoluble screw mounted in the cover of the chamber a nut mounted on said screw and provided with a finger pass ing through an inclined slot formed in one of said segmental guide-strips, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 10th day of June, 1901 THOMAS FRANCIS HIOKEY.

\Vitnesses:

CLARENCE E. AKIN,

CHARLES A. MILLER. 

